Catrin Maby, Director From strategy to practical action: the work of a regional energy agency

What is Severn Wye Energy Agency? SAVE Energy Agency SAVE Energy Agency independent non-profit company independent non-profit company aims: sustainable energy and affordable warmth aims: sustainable energy and affordable warmth in South West of UK / S. Wales: in South West of UK / S. Wales: Gloucestershire, South Gloucestershire, Wiltshire, Monmouthshire

Our approach coherent message from strategic to practical coherent message from strategic to practical integrated approach to efficiency & renewables integrated approach to efficiency & renewables independent: - technology neutral independent: - technology neutral - no profit motive developing partnerships and crossing sectors developing partnerships and crossing sectors

Important issues engaging others by finding the common agenda engaging others by finding the common agenda local to global as well as global to local local to global as well as global to local social inclusion social inclusion demystification of everyday technology demystification of everyday technology

Delivering Regional Economic Strategy renewables is important emerging environmental technology sector renewables is important emerging environmental technology sector energy efficiency improves environmental performance & business efficiency energy efficiency improves environmental performance & business efficiency new local jobs in sustainable energy new local jobs in sustainable energy practical pathways for cross-cutting principle of sustainable development practical pathways for cross-cutting principle of sustainable development

Delivering Regional Renewable Energy Strategy Local Renewable Energy Action Plans: Local Renewable Energy Action Plans: understanding local role in Strategy understanding local role in Strategy agreeing county level targets with county and district agreeing county level targets with county and district seeking suitable sites seeking suitable sites

Delivering Regional Housing Strategy achieving good quality homes: achieving good quality homes: - lower running cost - less risk of damp from condensation supporting sustainable communities: supporting sustainable communities: - reducing environmental impact - alleviating fuel poverty, good for: - alleviating fuel poverty, good for: * health * health * social inclusion * social inclusion

Local c limate change strategy primary focus is carbon emission reduction primary focus is carbon emission reduction energy sources and efficiency, buildings, transportation, waste energy sources and efficiency, buildings, transportation, waste stakeholder and public consultation stakeholder and public consultation working group to oversee implementation working group to oversee implementation

Multi-authority affordable warmth strategy Partnership of 8 local authorities and 2 health authorities

Raising profile of sustainable energy in other strategies land use planning land use planning health: reducing health inequalities health: reducing health inequalities education: citizenship, science, geography education: citizenship, science, geography community plans community plans

Practical action: Energy Efficiency Advice Centre free and impartial advice free and impartial advice 15,000 households a year 15,000 households a year partners include: partners include: local authorities housing associations social services pensions service

Raising awareness of energy efficiency homes behaving badly….

…….. and homes behaving well Competitions with energy efficient products as prizes

Raising awareness: cooking with the sun Competition at festival to design solar cooker and cook full English breakfast

Practical action: adult basic skills education Raising awareness of energy efficiency with people not reached by mainstream methods. Materials for adult education in literacy, numeracy and English as second language.

Practical action: sustainable village shop Brockweir and Hewelsfield Village Shop and café local produce local produce local and environmentally friendly building materials local and environmentally friendly building materials PV roof PV roof heat pump heat pump

Practical action: biomass at organic farm shop Cirencester farm shop Shop and café Shop and café organic local produce organic local produce wood chip boiler wood chip boiler

Practical action: renewables at environmental education centre The Wilderness Centre residential courses and day visits residential courses and day visits many schools attend many schools attend PV roof PV roof wood pellet boiler wood pellet boiler

Practical action: working holistically with schools identifying practical and behavioural actions in school buildings identifying practical and behavioural actions in school buildings taking the message home taking the message home integrating sustainable energy into existing curriculum integrating sustainable energy into existing curriculum

Practical action: working holistically with prisons energy plan for prison buildings energy plan for prison buildings advice on energy savings for prisoners’ families advice on energy savings for prisoners’ families educational programmes for longer term prisoners educational programmes for longer term prisoners energy efficiency in resettlement housing energy efficiency in resettlement housing

Multi- authority/multi-agency energy efficiency partnership home energy efficiency advice and measures home energy efficiency advice and measures 7 local authorities, fuel company, health authority and social services 7 local authorities, fuel company, health authority and social services over 8,000 households advised over 8,000 households advised measures installed value over 3 million euros measures installed value over 3 million euros

External agency working with statutory authorities: lessons learned energy is cross-cutting issue, so engage across departments energy is cross-cutting issue, so engage across departments budgets always tight so help to realise benefits of funds leverage budgets always tight so help to realise benefits of funds leverage compensate for inherent lack of flexibility with own quick response compensate for inherent lack of flexibility with own quick response help new staff into role, include in training etc help new staff into role, include in training etc encourage to use sustainable energy as career positive encourage to use sustainable energy as career positive

Forging successful partnerships: lessons learned from all other sectors counsellor: listen and understand detective: find relevance everywhere researcher: think outside the box entrepreneur: all events are an opportunity PR expert: seek good news stories social worker: help projects to cope without you salesperson:sell ideas, and close sale with smile teacher:make it easy, fun and rewarding

Happy partnership celebrating achievements